Southern Appalachian States.—Alabama,
Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia
yielded $239,861 in gold, an increase of $3,130 over the output of
1906. A moderate increase of production was reported in Alabama,
Georgia, and North Carolina. The greatest output of $82,193 came from
North Carolina; this was followed by Georgia, with $64,808; South
Carolina, with $54,765; and Alabama, with $25,982. As usual siliceous
ores yielded the greatest amount, principally from the Iola mine in
North Carolina, the Haile mine in South Carolina, and the Hillabee mine
in Alabama. The total output of placer gold was about $33,000.
Of
silver 81,257 ounces were produced, a decrease of 643 ounces. The only
States which have an important output of silver are Tennessee, with
58,352 ounces, and North Carolina, with 21,667 ounces. Almost the whole
output of silver is derived from copper ores.
Texas.—Texas produced only a nominal amount of gold.
The
yield of silver was 303,688 ounces, representing a small increase
compared with 1906. The metal is chiefly derived from siliceous
oxidized ores of the Shafter mine in Presidio County.
Utah.—Utah
mines reported $5,121,646, a decrease of $96,740 from 1906. As in 1906,
the Bingham and Tintic districts, which nearly correspond to Juab and
Salt Lake counties, were the most prominent producers of gold from
smelting ores, yielding, besides, silver, copper, and lead. The Tintic
ores contributed 46 per cent to the gold production of the State. The
Bingham ores yielded 30.5 per cent of the total, and the cyaniding ores
of the Mercur district 10.85 per cent. Thus, these three districts gave
87 per cent of the gold production of the State. Bingham yielded
$1,565,483 and Tintic $2,337,270 in gold. As compared with 1906 the
production in Bingham district showed a slight decrease, while that of
Tintic increased by $412,204. The gold mills of Tooele County yielded
$555,915; the yield from the later source has decreased slowly since
1903. A small amount of placer gold was derived from the bars of the
Grand and San Juan rivers. The production for 1908 will probably about
equal that of 1907.
Of
silver 10,990,076 ounces were reported, a decrease of 560,558 ounces.
Utah is now second in rank among the silver-producing States. It is
only exceeded by Colorado, which yielded 11,229,776 ounces. The bulk of
the silver was derived from the lead-copper ores of Tintic, from the
ores of Bingham, and from the lead ores of Park City Tintic produced
4,949,032 ounces, Park City 2,794,552 ounces, and Bingham 1,786,580
ounces. The combined production of these three districts was 9,530,164
ounces. All three districts decreased their output of silver very
decidedly. The greatest decrease of 960,787 ounces took place in the
Park City district.
Vermont.—As in 1906 Vermont contributed a small output of silver derived from the copper mines in Orange County.
Washington.—The
mines of this State reported $259,074 in gold, an increase of $37,426
as compared with 1906. The main part of the production was divided
between the Pierre Lake district in Stevens County, and the Monte
Cristo mines in Snohomish County. There was little activity shown in
the Republic district and in the Mount Baker mines, both very
productive in former years. Stevens County led with a production of
about $149,000. The output of
